Adjustable device for vision testing and therapy

Abstract

An adjustable and foldable device for visual field testing or treatment includes a computer display mounted on a base and presents visual stimuli to the patient. An associated head support assembly with a chinrest supports and positions the head of the subject with respect to the display. An articulated arm joins the base and the head support assembly. The arm will resist a given downward force supplied by the head, and is foldable toward the display to create a more compact and portable device. Additional articulations may allow the head support assembly to fold upon arm, and the arm to fold upon the base. The device may include a locking mechanism that secures the device in a folded or unfolded configuration.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An adjustable device for treatment of a neurological vision deficit of a subject, diagnostic testing of a visual field of a subject, or both treatment and testing of a subject, the subject having both a head and an eye, the adjustable device comprising:
 a base; 
 a computer display, mounted on the base, characterized by an elevation with respect to the base and adapted to present visual stimuli to the subject; 
 a head support assembly including a chinrest characterized by an elevation with respect to the base and a lateral position, the chinrest adapted to support and position the head of the subject with respect to the display and adapted to resist a downward force of the head of the subject; and 
 an articulated arm joining the base and the head support assembly in such a manner as to permit folding of the head support assembly toward the display and wherein the display is joined to the base in such a manner as to permit folding of the display toward the base, whereby the device is foldable for creating a compact and portable device. 
 
     
     
       2. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the elevation of the chinrest relative to the elevation of the display is adjustable. 
     
     
       3. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the elevation of the chinrest with respect to the display, and the elevation of the display with respect to the base, are adjustable. 
     
     
       4. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the lateral position of the chinrest is adjustable. 
     
     
       5. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an eye-tracker adapted to track a position of the subject's eye and a processor for adjusting the relative position of the chinrest and the display on the basis, at least, of the position of the subject's eye. 
     
     
       6. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a motorized positioning system adapted to electromechanically adjust at least one of the elevation and lateral position of the chinrest relative to the display. 
     
     
       7. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a motorized positioning system adapted to electromechanically adjust the elevation of the chinrest and the display relative to the base. 
     
     
       8. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a memory storage device for storing and recalling positional settings associated with a given subject. 
     
     
       9. A device in accordance with  claim 8  further comprising a motorized positioning system that electromechanically adjusts the device in such a manner as to reproduce stored positional settings. 
     
     
       10. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the device is adapted to be locked in one of a folded and an unfolded position. 
     
     
       11. A device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the chinrest is adapted to support the head of the subject up to a threshold of supporting upward force and wherein the chinrest is further adapted such that downward force in excess of the threshold causes a downward collapse of the chinrest. 
     
     
       12. A device according to  claim 11 , wherein the threshold is chosen to discourage the toppling of device. 
     
     
       13. A device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a handle attached to the display. 
     
     
       14. A device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a computer, operably coupled to the device, adapted to direct a presentation of stimuli upon the display, and further adapted to record user responses to those stimuli. 
     
     
       15. A device according to  claim 14 , wherein the computer is one of an onboard integrated computer, a computer coupled by a cable, and a computer coupled by wireless communication. 
     
     
       16. A device according to  claim 14 , wherein the head support assembly includes a sensor, operatively coupled to the computer, and adapted to detect the presence of the head of the subject. 
     
     
       17. A device according to  claim 16 , wherein the sensed absence or presence of the head prevents the accumulation of spurious data from a non-present subject. 
     
     
       18. A device according to  claim 14 , further including a stimulus recording input device selected from the group consisting of a mouth-actuated switch, a microphone, a finger actuated switch, a foot actuated switch, a joystick, a mouse, a trackpad, a trackball, and an accelerometer-based device. 
     
     
       19. An adjustable device for the treatment of a neurological vision deficit, the diagnostic testing, or both the treatment and testing of a subject having a head the device comprising:
 means for displaying visual stimuli to the subject; 
 a head support means for positioning, in an extended position, the head of the subject in relation to the display; and 
 an articulated arm joining a base and the head support means in such a manner as to permit folding of the head support means toward the display means and wherein the display means is joined to the base in such a manner as to permit folding of the display means toward the base, whereby the device is foldable for creating a compact and portable device. 
 
     
     
       20. A device according to  claim 19 , further comprising means for inputting a user response to the stimuli. 
     
     
       21. A device according to  claim 19 , wherein a excessive downward force, sufficient to topple the device, causes a collapsing means to yield, thus preventing the toppling of the device. 
     
     
       22. A device according to  claim 19 , further comprising motive means for positioning the head of the subject relative to the display means. 
     
     
       23. A device according to  claim 19 , further comprising motive means for positioning the absolute elevation of the display means and head support means. 
     
     
       24. A device according to  claim 19 , further comprising means for storing and recalling positional setting of the device. 
     
     
       25. A device according to  claim 19 , further comprising means for tracking the position of a subject's eye and using the eye position to adjust the configuration of the device. 
     
     
       26. A device according to  claim 19 , further including a head position sensing means, wherein the sensed misalignment or absence of the head prevents the accumulation of spurious data from a non-present subject. 
     
     
       27. A device for administering vision therapy and/or diagnostic testing procedures, the device comprising:
 a display foldably connected to a base, and a head support assembly foldably connected via an articulated arm. 
 
     
     
       28. A device in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the head support assembly is foldably connected to arm. 
     
     
       29. A device in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the device is lockable in a folded state. 
     
     
       30. A device in accordance with  claim 27 , wherein the device is lockable in an unfolded state. 
     
     
       31. A device in accordance with  claim 29  further comprising an actuator for locking and unlocking the device. 
     
     
       32. A device in accordance with  claim 30  further comprising an actuator for locking and unlocking the device.